Rod was a fantastic driver, and a professional, personable and helpful guide. He made our trip to Canberra relaxing, enjoyable and fun filled – topped off with a cuppa at every stop! Thank you all for a fantastic trip. We were made to feel so comfortable and well looked after by Macquarie Tours.
Why take your Students to visit Canberra?
By visiting Canberra, students develop a deeper understanding of how we’re governed and our Australian Identity, which fosters a greater sense of National Pride.
Many students have visited or will visit their State or Territory’s Capital City, however, few students understand that Canberra is also their Capital City and even fewer students will ever have an opportunity to visit their National Capital during their life-time unless they participate in an excursion to Canberra with their school.
Participating in a wide range of programs in Canberra builds students’ understanding of how we are governed, how laws are made, Electoral processes and rights, Australian identity, history and heritage and so much more. High School students can also gain more in-depth knowledge of Politics, Science and Australian History.
“The facilitated visit at the National Museum was exceptional. Students began with a classroom lesson learning about the timeline of Australia’s history with visual aides that they could touch and explore. They then split into groups for a tour around the museum where each student was given a digital camera to take a picture of a ‘story’ they were interested in. They took brief notes on each photo. At the conclusion of the tour the guides burnt the images to a CD and gave a copy to us to keep and use back at school. The visit was very educational and the students thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The staff were lovely and very accommodating. I definitely recommend this experience to everyone.”
Request a quote
Please use our extensive links for Canberra venues – great pre-visit teacher resources await you!
FOR A LIMITED TIME...
RENAISSANCE
at the National Gallery of Australia
from 9 December, 2011 until 9 April, 2012
'Renaissance' offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see paintings by great Italian artists. Raphael, Botticelle, Bellini and Titian star amoung an amazing display of talent and creative splendour from the Early and High Renaissance. More than seventy works on panel and canvas will be shown, all made between 1400 and 1600 by painters in Northern and Central Italy. Of extraordinary quality, the paintings emanate from Venice, Florence, Padua, Ferrara, Bergamo and Siena.
The Accedemia Carrara in Bergamo is closed for renovation, allowing Australians to view these treasures.
Ask to include 'Renaissance' in your itinerary if you're already booked to travel to Canberra between these dates.
OR: Book one of our Renaissance packages, specifically designed for High School Visual Arts students.
One & Two Day Coach packages for Sydney High Schools
One & Two Day Flying packages for interstate schools.
Contact our office today for more information!
Experience the benefits of visiting Canberra in Term 1
Visiting Canberra is cheaper, easier and warmer in Term 1!
- Save money - you can take advantage of cheaper accommodation deals by travelling to Canberra in Term 1. Some motels offer slightly cheaper rates for either Term 1, or up until the end of March.
- Many of the Canberra venues offer specials and extras, ranging from upgrading your visit from a self-guided to a facilitated program; offering a memento of your visit; reducing or waiving program fees etc.
- At the time of quoting on your Canberra excursion, we can advise you of which specials apply to your choice of venues.
- Because there are less school groups in Canberra in Term 1, you can move around venues such as the War Memorial and Questacon more freely and actually experience much more of the exhibitions.
- The Canberra climate is predictably much warmer in Term 1 compared with Term 3. You can comfortably enjoy outdoor lunches, scenery and activities earlier in the year. .
There is a shortage of accommodation in Canberra
- Many ‘school group motels’ have either been bulldozed to make way for apartments, or have chosen to no longer service the school-group market – preferring to take on government accommodation contracts. This has increased the pressure on availability of beds during the most popular times of year.
- Because many schools traditionally visit Canberra in Term 3, the available beds and programs book out extremely quickly.
- Don’t get caught with booking difficulties by leaving it too late to book. We are currently taking school group bookings for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Funding
Our Federal Government actively encourages every Australian student to visit their National Capital, by providing a travel subsidy. The Parliament And Civics Education Rebate (PACER) is a sliding scale rebate based on schools’ travelling distance to Canberra, with rebate amounts ranging from $20 to $260 per eligible student (Years 4 – 12 only). Application must be made prior to travel and the applicable amount is rebated to the school after verified completion of your excursion. As a minimum requirement, your itinerary must include programs at Parliament House; Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House and / or Electoral Education; and the Australian War Memorial and other National Civic Institutions where possible. We will construct your itinerary to meet the PACER rebate requirements and we supply PACER information and application forms with your Booked Itinerary Information Pack.
For our friends from all around Oz…
Are you planning to visit Canberra from other States and Territories?
We’re here to help you!
Let us plan, book, conduct and manage your entire East Coast excursion including stop-overs en-route to / from Canberra.
Our friendly, experienced Group Tour Planners will construct your itinerary mindful of the required venues to qualify for the PACER rebate and much more. They can also help you with information about venues and programs as well as suggestions to maximise the benefits of your visit.
Our coaches will meet your group on arrival at the applicable airport. The coach/es and driver/s stay with your group 24 hours a day managing your tour so that you’re able to relax and enjoy the excursion experience with your students.
Funding
The Federal Government offers a generous rebate to families to help subsidise the costs of getting to Canberra. When you book with Macquarie Educational Tours, we supply you with application forms and PACER information in your “Booked Itinerary Information Pack”.
What others say:
A most professional and responsible organisation. Super organised, responsive & friendly. All details & aspects covered. No surprises or misunderstandings. Coach Captain – Brilliant “a legend” always helpful and a total authority on all aspects of our tour.
Thank you for your assistance in making our 2010 Eastern States trip such a wonderful success. The staff and students had a memorable time and Terry said the AFL Game was great - it was just a shame about the result! Thank you once again, your organisation was wonderful.
Planning your trip – Where should I go?
Because you’re travelling considerable distances to reach Canberra it is understandable that you may also want to visit surrounding areas.
There’s a lot to consider! A good place to start is to ask your school families for their priorities and budget range.
While a basic Canberra excursion can be comfortably completed within 5 days, including travelling days to & from, you can also easily fill 7-8 days just experiencing all that Canberra has to offer.
We can also design a more comprehensive East Coast itinerary that includes any or all of the following: Sydney, Blue Mountains, Bathurst or Mogo (for gold history), Canberra and the Snowy Mountains. Itineraries can extend to 2 weeks depending on your required inclusions.
For schools flying via Melbourne, we can also include Great Ocean Road, Melbourne and Ballarat (Sovereign Hill).
For Northern Territory schools travelling via Cairns, we can include a stopover on the Gold Coast to visit the Theme Parks.
Sydney and the Snow are the most popular additions to Canberra itineraries. They are both located within easy driving distance from Canberra, and they both represent unique experiences that are not readily available to families located in the North & West of Australia.
Our top tips:
Funding is available from the Federal Government to assist families in meeting Canberra excursion costs. Conditions apply. We will construct your itinerary to meet the PACER rebate requirements and we supply PACER information and application forms with your Booked Itinerary Information Pack.
Travel in Term 1 or 2 for more choice of dates at accommodation, greater program availability, milder climate and special offers for Term 1 at some venues. At the time of booking, our Tour Planners will confirm any applicable specials for your particular selection of venues and accommodation to ensure maximum benefit for your group.
Book ahead for 2012, 2013 & 2014. No, this is not a misprint! There is huge demand for accommodation in Canberra from June – November each year, and many schools are booking several years in advance to secure their preference of travel dates. At the time of writing (November, 2010) accommodation for Term 3, 2012 is already heavily booked. Unfortunately, if you do not book ahead, there are less options available by the time you make your booking.
We’re happy to book your accommodation for several years in advance with no obligation until March in the year prior to travel.